In “Inception,” Christopher Nolan directs a mind-rattling blockbuster built around the concept of dreams and ideas. One of the movie’s signature lines is delivered by the main character, played by Leonardo DiCaprio: “What’s the most resilient parasite? An idea. A single idea from the human mind can build cities. An idea can transform the world and rewrite all the rules.”
LeBron James and President Barack Obama aren’t too dissimilar; this summer has all but proven that. The self-crowned “King” and nationally elected leader seem to share a common astringent idea that is best declaimed by Bertrand Russell: “One should respect public opinion insofar as is necessary to avoid starvation and keep out of prison, but anything that goes beyond this is voluntary submission to an unnecessary tyranny.”
That is not what the public wants to even consider.
Maverick Carter, James’ de facto agent, primarily orchestrated “The Decision,” a one-hour ESPN special devoted to finding out which team James would sign with. True to his first name and lack of college degree, Carter, in under 60 minutes, transformed one of the most prominent athletes into one of the most despised in history by obviously not perfecting James’ responses to the predictable interview questions. James referred to himself in third person multiple times, failed to mention any of his former Cavalier teammates, and incorrectly asserted that the Miami Heat play in South Beach – the arena is in downtown Miami.
Obama has not fared the summer that much better. The BP oil spill and his reaction – or lack thereof – has corroded his image, the Shirley Sherrod fiasco has proven once again his administration’s tendency to misspeak quite quickly, and WikiLeaks’ publishing of more than 90 thousand secret documents pertaining to the Afghanistan War will force him to readdress that quagmire.
Maybe though, just maybe, these two men see the potential long-term commendation rather than the transient short-term ridicule.
For Obama, his current approval rating sits at 45 percent, according to Gallup. Does it matter how anyone besides Obama translates that figure? George Gallup has said himself that, “Polling is merely an instrument for gauging public opinion. When a president or any other leader pays attention to poll results, he is, in effect, paying attention to the views of the people. Any other interpretation is nonsense.”
Obama has two years before he faces the public for reelection. By then, health care could be showing signs of improvement, and the benefits of Wall Street reform and other financial measures he has supported could be taking hold. Also, the Republicans could be dividing themselves over who their next presidential nominee should be. Could be, of course.
James may be banking on similar principles. He could average the hallowed triple double while running the Heat offense a la 1980’s Magic Johnson Lakers. He could win two NBA championships in three years with Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh, filling the title requirements to climb higher in the “best player ever” discussion. He could leave his Miami confines in three years, sign with the newly Brooklyn Nets with co-owner Jay-Z, and could bring a title back to New York City. Could, of course.
Former president George W. Bush responded to his vitriolic opponents by saying that history would judge him. Not the emotional, often misguided, biased present. Chalk up another Bushism, right? Well, not really.
Bush, as someone who adopted the same stance towards the public opinion as James and Obama, conjured a valid point. In, let’s say 20 years, when two generations of professional basketball players have transpired and at least three different presidents have taken the oath of office, what will be the public’s sentiment of these three men? Much different than now at the least.
Christopher Nolan tells us that an idea is the most resilient parasite. When that idea is that a public figure need not heed the incessant and hateful cries of the public and a public figure demonstrates his or her acceptance of that idea, the public struggles to tolerate it. It, however new it may or may not be, has rewritten a rule that the public had suspected to be accepted among public figures: short-term public sentiments matter.
